URANIUM CITY — The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has renewed the Saskatchewan Research Council's (SRC) licence to continue remediation work at the former Gunnar uranium mine and mill site until 2031, while ruling that the Crown's legal duty to consult Indigenous groups was not triggered by the renewal because it authorizes no new activities or impacts.
The decision dated May 19 and announced May 20, allows SRC to continue Phase 2 remediation activities at the northern Saskatchewan site for another five years. The renewed licence is valid until May 31, 2031, and does not authorize any new activities, a spokesperson for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission said in response to questions from SaskToday.
The Gunnar site, located approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Uranium City near Lake Athabasca, operated from 1955 to 1963 and closed in 1964 with little decommissioning completed at the time. The site is located on Treaty 8 territory, the Homeland of the Métis, and within the traditional territories of the Denesųłiné, Cree and Métis peoples.
The commission's ruling on consultation emerged as one of the most significant findings in its decision.
The CNSC concluded that the Crown's legal duty to consult Indigenous Nations was not triggered because the licence renewal does not authorize new work or create new environmental impacts. Instead, it extends remediation activities that have already been approved and are currently underway.
In its decision, the commission stated, "Granting the renewal application will not result in new waste or new adverse impacts to potential or established Aboriginal or treaty rights."
The commission further determined that the duty to consult is intended to address potential impacts arising from a current regulatory decision and is not triggered solely by historical impacts associated with a project.
At the same time, the commission acknowledged the legacy of the former uranium mine and concerns raised by Indigenous intervenors.
"The commission recognizes that the Gunnar mine was constructed without consulting Indigenous Nations and communities," the decision stated.
However, the commission concluded that historical grievances alone do not trigger a duty to consult on a licence renewal that authorizes no new activities.
Several Indigenous organizations participated in the public hearing process, including Ya'thi Néné Lands and Resources, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation argued that contamination from historic uranium operations continues to affect waterways and fish populations relied upon by community members. The First Nation also questioned whether remediation efforts are sufficient and expressed concerns that environmental recovery could take decades or longer.
Métis Nation–Saskatchewan raised concerns regarding environmental protection and cited past incidents and notices of non-compliance associated with the project. The organization argued that potential impacts should be minimized even when they fall below regulatory safety thresholds.
Despite those concerns, the commission concluded that SRC's environmental protection program is meeting regulatory requirements and effectively protecting human health and the environment.
According to the CNSC, independent environmental monitoring conducted around the site has produced results consistent with SRC's findings.
A spokesperson for the commission said legacy uranium mines near Uranium City were developed before modern environmental protection standards existed.
"The practices used in legacy uranium mines and mining would not be licensed today, and some sites experienced environmental impacts because of these historic practices," the spokesperson said.
The commission noted that previous environmental assessments concluded the cleanup project would have a positive environmental impact and that ongoing remediation is reducing environmental and public health risks.
The CNSC also pointed to its Independent Environmental Monitoring Program and participation in the Eastern Athabasca Regional Monitoring Program, both of which monitor environmental conditions around former uranium mine sites in northern Saskatchewan.
"CNSC staff are confident that people and the environment in the vicinity of the Beaverlodge, Gunnar and Lorado sites are protected and that there are no anticipated health or environmental impacts from the sites," the spokesperson said.
The renewed licence allows SRC to continue remediation work, finalize long-term monitoring plans, complete remediation documentation and update site-specific management plans.
Any future transition to long-term monitoring or Phase 3 remediation activities would require a separate licensing process, including a future commission hearing and decision.
The commission said it renewed the licence after reviewing submissions received during the public hearing process and determining that SRC remains qualified to carry out the work authorized under the licence.
"The Gunnar project represents a historical site that is now being remediated responsibly, which is what the CNSC would expect from any such project," the spokesperson said.
